I hate this keyboard!

[dysert]

I got a new laptop. My previous one was old - about 7 years; it had insufficient memory, a small disk, and finally its video card went out. So I took the occasion to replace it with a Windows 7 machine with 8GB of RAM, a 500GB HDD, and all the software you'd ever want. It's a nice HP machine except for one thing - the keyboard. It's one of these new keyboards with space between the letter keys. (I think Apple made this type of keyboard popular?) Anyway, I'm finding it very hard to get used to. So much of the time my fingers end up hitting blank space instead of a key (I'm a touch typist). I feel like I have to learn to type all over again :-(.

 

[Paul01]

I just bought a laptop this week, and for this very reason, I went to a store instead of ordering it online. Fortunately, I don't type much on my laptop or I'd probably plug in an ergonomic keyboard.

 

[dysert]

I just bought a laptop this week, and for this very reason, I went to a store instead of ordering it online. Fortunately, I don't type much on my laptop or I'd probably plug in an ergonomic keyboard.

I went to several stores. They are all pushing Win8 instead of Win7. Plus, the price difference was too great to ignore. I found an online typing tutor that I'll just keep practicing with.

Reminds me of when I first learned how to type in High School. We spent half the semester on one typewriter, then switched and spent the other half on a different typewriter. Only now I'm quite a bit older, and the switching isn't coming quite so easily :-(.

 

[elytron]

Chiclet keyboards seem to be the latest craze. See them on lots of new laptops, haven't typed with one yet.

 

[High Fidelity]

You'll be fine and get used to it. You're just used to muscle memory and most new keyboards take some getting used to.

 

[Unix]

I have two ergonomic keyboards (the better on is: http://www.trulyergonomic.com - must be the world's best) but I wish I could afford a space-frugal ergonomic keyboard for my oldest laptop - the built-in keyboard of it has went out:

Fortunately, I don't type much on my laptop or I'd probably plug in an ergonomic keyboard.

 

[stellalunaCW]

Hmm...it appears my laptop has a "chiclet" keyboard. I guess I don't find it any more difficult to use than my old one.

 

[sunshinesmile]

You can always plug in a different keyboard. How is the training coming?

 

[andypro7]

I have two ergonomic keyboards but I wish I could afford a space-frugal ergonomic keyboard for my oldest laptop - the built-in keyboard of it has went out:

I got my first computer in 1999. Knowing nothing about them, I got an ergonomic keyboard figuring everyone would have them soon so I'd better get used to them.

I loved it, but when it crapped out a few years later, I realized that ergonomic was NOT all the rage, and that I'd have to go back.

I got this cheap little logitech at Walmart, and it did suck getting used to it for a week or two, but now I'm fine.

 

[Unix]

Even a regular keyboard without the numeric keys using up space at the right, is expensive - a used ergonomic keyboard is about the same price:

I got this cheap little logitech at Walmart, and it did suck getting used to it for a week or two, but now I'm fine.

 

[StarLightSwirlz17]

laptops are good...

 

[dysert]

laptops are good...

... unless they're a pain to type on.

 

[StarLightSwirlz17]

like when the keys are all sticky?

 

[dysert]

like when the keys are all sticky?

My new keyboard is of the "chiclet" variety. Squares with space in between. I just have to learn to reprogram my fingers to nail each of the squares instead of being sloppy and casually touching the closest key. So far I'm not having a lot of luck :-(.

 

[StarLightSwirlz17]

see...

 

[dysert]

I just wanted to tell everyone of this neat web site I found that I'm using to practice on my new keyboard. It's free and is at Learn to Type | Keyboarding | Free Typing Tutor and Typing Lessons. I've been checking out a lot of sites, and typingweb seems to be the best. I'm currently typing at around 60 WPM with 99% accuracy. Not as good as I was on my old keyboard, but I'm practicing and getting better .

 

[Unix]

I bought an old ergonomic keyboard and mouse, wireless. It's complete. There's an installation CD, I don't have a CD drive in that particular computer so I transferred the files to a USB thumb memory stick and tried to run it but there was Windows compatibility error and Windows 8.0 didn't find a sollution. The seller said I wouldn't need the CD. I haven't tried the keyboard and mouse properly yet since the batteries seem to be dead. After I put new batteries in it, do You think these will start without having to separately install the software that came on the CD? The software on the CD-ROM seems to be from 2008. I tried Vista, Vista SP1, Vista SP2 and 7 compatibility modes as well with the exact same error message. If the software is for 32-bit Windows is that the reason it won't run or do You think there's a 64-bit version somewhere among the files? The computer has 12 GB RAM.

 

[dysert]

I bought an old ergonomic keyboard and mouse, wireless. It's complete. There's an installation CD, I don't have a CD drive in that particular computer so I transferred the files to a USB thumb memory stick and tried to run it but there was Windows compatibility error and Windows 8.0 didn't find a sollution. The seller said I wouldn't need the CD. I haven't tried the keyboard and mouse properly yet since the batteries seem to be dead. After I put new batteries in it, do You think these will start without having to separately install the software that came on the CD? The software on the CD-ROM seems to be from 2008. I tried Vista, Vista SP1, Vista SP2 and 7 compatibility modes as well with the exact same error message. If the software is for 32-bit Windows is that the reason it won't run or do You think there's a 64-bit version somewhere among the files? The computer has 12 GB RAM.

There are still some unanswered questions (e.g., is this a PC and not a Mac?). And I don't know why the vendor says you wouldn't need the CD. Are they saying the OS is already installed on the computer's hard drive? I'd first see if it will boot without the CD in the drive and see what happens. Typically, a 32-bit application will run in a 64-bit environment. If you're running Vista I don't know that it will be able to take full advantage of your 12GB if you're 32-bit. I'll be interested to hear how it goes.

 

[Unix]

Three clarifications: it's a Windows 8.0. By CD-ROM I meant for installing the ergonomic keyboard and mouse. And I just realized (again) that it does have a CD-ROM drive.